Adapting to Love-A Joelay AU Fic
by rainistorm
Summary: Ray Narvaez lives his life like a fugitive and all because he has the gift to adapt to any circumstance thrown at him from breathing underwater to being set on fire. He is constantly harassed by men in suits, captured over and over and questioned. When he takes an interest in one of his questioners, Joel Heyman, the secret company takes advantage of the situation.
1. Chapter 1

Ray was running for his fucking life; he turned a sharp corner, feet skidding across the slick alley floor as the cold precipitation spattered his jeans. His breath came in heavy, sharp, painful rasps as he pushed himself to keep going forward, knowing his pursuers weren't far behind.

He could smell the rage radiating from the men behind him and he wrinkled his nose as he picked up his pace, the taste of blood and salty sweat in his mouth, lingering there.

Lights shone above him but his vision was slightly blurry, glasses askew, but he could smell the docks ahead of him, and he sighed in relief that he was nearly there.

As he perched at the edge of the dock, he turned to the four men, a cocky smirk on his face. He took off his glasses with slow, deliberate motions, placing them neatly in his front pocket.

"Until next time, boys." He gave them a sarcastic salute as they raised their guns, but he was already hopping into the water. Midair, he began to transform. Gills sprouted on either side of his neck and his feet elongated into long flippers. He hit the water with a loud splash before kicking downwards into the deep; the men never even got a chance to fire their guns.

The next day, Ray was lounging on one of the top branches of a large tree, hidden from view. Though he was precariously laying, he was firmly attached.

"Fucking assholes." He smirked as he saw a man in a black suit and sunglasses walked slowly down the street, looking back and forth shadily before turning back with a resigned look on his face.

Okay, so maybe he purposefully got captured. It was just too fun, escaping them so easily and watching them run around like chickens with their heads cut off. As if they actually thought they could hold in an Adapter. He knew that's what he was, because he had overheard the little assholes call him that once.

He jumped from the tree, the sticky spines retracting into his fingertip as he strolled casually down the sidewalk, making his way towards an open cafe he often visited.

As he neared, he ducked into a corner, watching his body as it disappeared, skin creeping away until he was completely invisible to the human eye. He passed by a woman who was deeply engaged in a conversation with her date, snatching her freshly-arrived coffee and pizza slice off the table.

Moments later, the woman called the waiter over, complaining of the slow service and demanding a refund. Ray sniggered, taking a bite of the cheesy food.

He felt a sharp pang in his had and flinched, retreating into an alleyway as he let go, his body reappearing in an instant.

"Fuck." He mumbled, rubbing his temple with a forefinger. Doing small adaptations like gills was easy, but fill-body ones were much harder, and he was usually left with a bad headache if he did it too long.

He recalled when he was younger how adapting to the simplest situations was hard, how he had spent hours in his room alone, practicing; first with simple things, then to more important ones, such as the making the skin on his hand flame resistant He had gotten burnt several times in that practice.

As he grew, he noticed he could do more with less pain, and he relished in the development. Of course he never told his parents; he never told anyone, actually. Even in his young mind, he knew that what he could do was different and to be hidden. For a while, he was actually convinced he was the only one like him, until the first time he was captured by Them.

He didn't know who they were, or what they were called, he only knew that they wanted him, supposedly for experimentation and dissections and probably to make some army of people like him; that's how it always went in movies, anyways. Their attempts were always terrible though, considering he could adapt his way out of every situation. He enjoyed the game though.

He was feeling restless again and he needed some practice with his powers, grinning as he made his way to an old construction site, a place he knew that at least one of the men was always on watch. It wasn't long before he attracted the attention he was hoping for, he could smell the gas seeping out slightly as the employee (or whatever he was. Ray personally liked to call them Cockbites) pulled out the hook, throwing the small bomb at Ray.

He resisted the urge to adapt his lungs as he succumbed to the gas.

Ray let out a lazy yawn as he awoke in a small windowless room, his arms and legs strapped to the table.

"This is new." He mused. Usually he was tied to a chair. "Good job on the upgrade!" He called to no one in particular, certain someone nearby was listening.

As he expected, a tall man with dark hair stepped out of the corner, a grim look on his face. His hair was ridiculously disheveled and his face was well-chiseled, a hint of stubble gracing his jaw bone. Ray cocked an eyebrow at the new recruit, impressed.

"Well hello there, handsome." Ray purred, flashing him a toothy grin. "Come here often?"

The man grimaced, remaining silent. He circled around Ray, eyeing him closely.

"You know, the last time someone looked at me that way, I got laid." Ray winked at the Cockbite as he came back around, narrowing his dark eyes.

"I'd like to ask you a few questions, Mr. Narvaez." The man's voice was smooth with a hint of eternal laziness in it.

"Baby, you can ask me anything."

"Mhm. Mr. Narvaez, do you know why you are here?" The man kept his calm demeanor, but Ray noticed with a smirk that his cheeks were tinged with pink.

"Because this is easier than speed dating? And I'm guessing by these cuffs," He struggled his hands and feet a bit for emphasis, "that you're into some kinky stuff."

"This is no laughing matter, Mr. Narvaez." The man growled, resting a hand on the edge of the metal table.

"Y'know, you seem to know my name pretty well. I feel bad that I don't know yours. Give me something to call out, huh sweetie?" Ray wiggled his hips teasingly and the Cockbite turned away for a moment.

"My name is not of importance." The man whipped around to face him, his neck a soft rosey color; Ray always enjoyed roses.

"How about this: You tell me your name, and next time, I might be a little more cooperative." He paused while the older man remained quiet. "Well, this has been a lovely little date, but I really must be going now." His arms and legs jellified, slipping out of their cuffs before reforming. He hopped out off the cold metal table, sneaking in a little smooch on the shocked employee's cheek before bolting towards the door and fusing through it, running as fast as he could out of the abandoned warehouse and down the street.

Joel was about to run after when he was stopped by a voice over the speakers.

"Don't bother going after him, the effort will be futile." The sound crackled over the communication device and Joel let out a sigh of annoyance.

"He will be back, and next time we will be better prepared." The faceless person reassured him, but Joel's muscles remained tense. Something about that guy got under his skin.

"Whatever. I'm going to the range." He called out to no one in particular, leaving the temporary facility and getting into his car.

When he arrived at the main headquarters, his head was still swimming from his entire experience.

Ray Narvaez, otherwise known as Subject 00012, didn't seem like a monster. Cocky, sure; annoying, no doubt; but an evil killer? Joel wasn't so sure. Then again, the guy could just be a good actor.

Joel had been born into the Organization, his father being rather high up in command. They were a secret group, kept hidden from everyone except only the highest of government officials, and even they knew very little about it. They were mostly just there to fund their buildings, supplies, and research. Hell, even he didn't know everything about the Adapter Protection Facility (APF for short).

He knew they were there to find out what made the Adapters have the power they possessed, and to keep them from hurting people. His father had told him stories as a young child and he had learned the horror of the Adapters. They were like a small terrorist group, from what he understood. Creatures that thought they towered over humans genetically, working to eradicate them completely.

Though there were only twenty-one known adapters, their strong powers and inability to be contained made them a dangerous threat to humanity as a whole. APF worked to find ways to stop them, testing different methods of containment and keeping strong tabs on every Adapter. These creatures were spread across the entire world, but eleven of them were in America, one of them in Texas: Ray.

Joel had spent years training, learning to shoot, researching, and strengthening his fighting skills in several styles, including but not limited to Jui Jitsu, Jeet Kun Do, Judo, and Muay Thai. He was a walking, talking killing machine, at least that's how he liked to see himself. Joel had been thrilled when he was finally promoted to not only a Level 5 clearance officer, but a field agent as well.

He grabbed his gun, goggles, and mufflers, ready to unwind by shooting several rounds into a pretend-Ray's head. Seriously, that guy had some nerve!

However, he had only gotten a couple shots in before his wrist communicator beeped and buzzed for his attention. He groaned as he put up his equipment, making his way to Sector 5H.

He was called to Geoff's office, a Level 6 clearance officer known for his kind, laid-back attitude.. He wondered if he was in trouble for allowing Subject 00012 to escape, but that wasn't out of the normal. Just yesterday, he had escaped from the clutches of a very pissed off Ryan Haywood. Joel chuckled at the thought as he closed the door behind him, taking a seat across from Geoff's desk.

"Hey, Joel. Before you get too worked up, no you're not in trouble." Joel let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding at this, a lazy smile touching his lips.

"Actually, I've called you here to congratulate you. Today was the only time we have gotten Subject 00012 to make any interaction with an APF officer, let alone offer to give up information." Geoff smirked. "Even if the things he had to say were.. rather unconventional." Joel coughed awkwardly as he felt a blush creep up his face.

"Yeah, that was pretty weird." He mumbled, averting his eyes.

Geoff pushed on, playing aimlessly with a trinket his daughter Millie had made him on his desk. "Anyways, the point here is, for whatever reason, you produce results. Whenever he comes back, and we are sure he will (the asshole is a dickbag, and he likes to show off), we want you to try and make more interaction with him. Perhaps if you can get closer or something, he'd be more willing to give up some information about what he is and how it works. You could be our ticket to bringing these evil pieces of shit down before they strike us hard." Geoff pressed his finger tips together thoughtfully on his desk.

Joel frowned. "I'll level with you Geoff; the idea of spending more time with that pompous douche isn't very thrilling, but if it will help, I'll do it."

"Fantastic. Now we wait for him to come to us."

-

Ray strutted down the street, the grin on his face uncontrollable. It had been a few days since his little encounter with the attractive new Cockbite, and he'd be lying if he said he hadn't found a nice little private place that night and imagined the dark haired man coming undone in his freshly-pressed suit.

He was itching to see the man again, and he used the excuse that practice never hurt as he found his way to the abandoned warehouse, sitting down patiently.

"Hello, Mr. Narvaez." Ray looked up to see the man he'd been waiting for standing in front of him. He didn't appear to be armed.

"Honey, I'm home." Ray cooed sweetly, rising to his feet. "What, no gas this time?"

"I was hoping we could handle this in a more civilized manner, if you would like to come inside." Joel motioned towards the door and Ray curtsied before entering cautiously, still expecting some sort of trap. Inside sat a table with two chairs on either side.

On the table was a glass of what appeared to be soda.

"Aww how sweet, you've prepared a little romantic table for us." Joel cleared his throat, taking a seat as Ray did the same.

"Mr. Narvaez-"

"Please, call me Ray. I like to think our relationship is evolved enough for us to use first names." Ray interrupted, grinning. "Speaking of which..."

"If I tell you my name, will you truly cooperate?" Joel sighed wearily, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"To an extent, sweet lips." The Adapter leaned back in his chair, grabbing the glass of soda and sipping it. He should be worried about some sort of poisoning, but he could easily just fix the problem. Perks of being a freak, he thought bitterly.

"Joel. It's Joel." The Cockbite murmured, flushing.

"Jo-el." Ray let the word roll off his tongue and Joel felt a weird feeling he couldn't quite explain in his stomache. "I like it. A cute name for a cute man." Ray winked, crossing his feet on the table.

"Right. Well, now it's your turn to keep your side of the deal." Joel's voice was toneless and he crossed his hands together in front of him.

"Whatever you want, Joel baby." Ray hummed.

"Okay then. Do you know why you are here?" Joel cocked an eyebrow. Now was the time for it to get good, to get answers.

"I'm assuming it's because I'm fucking awesome. Check this out." He held up his arm and it erupted into flames for a moment before returning to it's natural state. Joel jumped back in alarm, his dark eyes widening.

"Holy Hell!" He yelled, breaking his professional calm for a moment before settling back into his seat and clearing his throat in embarrassment, groaning internally at the smug look on Ray's face. "Um yes, that would be why you are here. Do you have any idea how you became like this?"

"Shit man, I don't know. I guess I was born this way; the next rung up the evolutionary latter, y'know? Or maybe radiation, like a superhero. That would be kickass." He grinned and Joel had to fight back a smile. His excitement was infectious.

"Now, mind if I ask you a question?" Ray continued, putting his feet down so he could lean on the table.

"I suppose you can. I can't guarantee that I can answer." Joel connected his lips in a tight line, reminding himself that he wasn't talking to a person. This was a monster, a creature that had likely killed countless humans, and would continue to do so unless someone stopped him.

"Are you single? Because I know this great little cafe not far from here, and I'd love to take you there sometime." Ray smirked.

Joel spluttered.

"I hardly find that relevant." Joel grumbled out, looking away.

"It's relevant to my interests." Ray blew a kiss. "But if you don't want to answer, I guess this little session is over. Til next time," He paused as he stood up, looking over his shoulder with a coy smile. "Joel." And then he was gone.

Joel growled to himself under his breath, his wrist beeping as soon as Ray had departed. He was being called to Sector 5H again.

He rubbed his eyes tiredly as he once again took a seat in Geoff's office.

"Listen, we think you should do as Subject 00012 asks, go to him with the cafe, socialize." Joel's eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he was hearing!

"By 'we' do you mean the faceless asshole running this organization?" Joel's face was red with anger and Geoff didn't reply. "Need I remind you that Ray... I mean Subject 00012 is a murderous monster?!" Joel yelled, stiffening.

"Of course I know that, but he clearly has no ill intent towards you. This could be your chance to get closer to him, gain his trust. The little bit of information you gathered today is precious to us already. We now know that they are not born of some weird scientific experiment, or received their ability later on in life, and that will aid in our research." Geoff remained calm, despite Joel's outburst.

"Fuck..." Joel mumbled. "I can't believe I'm doing this but.. fine. But if he tries to fucking touch me, I will not hold back in throwing everything I got at him and getting the fuck out of there." He threatened, and Geoff nodded.

"Understandable."

-

So that's how Joel ended up walking around the docks, looking for a monster. He hadn't needed to wander very far before he was startled by a figure dropping down in front of him.

"I knew you couldn't stay away from me." Ray smirked and Joel ground his teeth together.

"I just happen to enjoy coffee." Joel dismissed it, but Ray only grinned wider.

"Y'know, I didn't think it was possible, but you look even sexier in civilian clothing." Ray took a step back, looking Joel up and down as the latter shuddered under his appreciative gaze. Joel was in a form-fitting t-shirt and jeans, an unzipped hoodie thrown on carelessly; it wasn't really all that needed considering they were in Texas, but he enjoyed having it on. "What sort of fabric is this?" Ray rubbed the corner of Joel's hoodie, and the older man fought an urge mixing between pulling away and scooting a bit closer, much to his annoyance.

"Um, I guess cotton or something?" He tilted his head to the side.

"Really? It feels like boyfriend material." Ray whispered and Joel snorted.

"Wow. How about we just get to the cafe?" Joel turned to walk away and Ray jogged to his side.

"Excited for our date, hmm?" Joel scoffed.

"This is NOT a date." He rolled his eyes as they neared the little cafe, Ray dragging him inside. The place was homey and smelled of coffee beans and freshly baked pastries. He was a little sad he hadn't noticed the hole-in-the-wall hangout spot before.

"Whatever you say, big scary government man." Ray chuckled and even Joel broke a smile, his lips turning up at the corners despite himself. He glanced out the window as he sat at the counter to see a van stationary on the curb.

Monitored.

He was always being monitored.

"Yo, I assume you're paying for this right?" Ray broke him from his thought and he gave him an incredulous look.

"What? Why the fuck am I paying for you?" Joel demanded, but his tone was light and teasing.

"You're the asshole that wants to tie me up and interrogate me, psycho. Besides, one person always pays for the other on a date." Ray said smugly and Joel sighed.

"Fine.

But it's not a date."


	2. Chapter 2

Terrified

If there was one word Ray could use to describe the feeling in his gut as he sat across from the enemy, sipping a latte with a smug grin on his face, that would be it. Joel, gorgeous as he was, was definitely the enemy.

He didn't come on this little rendezvous for fun, there was no doubt he was here on strict orders. Probably to get close to Ray.

Though that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy it, right? They were using one another, Ray wanting information about the weird organization as much as Joel wanted to know about him. And if he could get the Cockbite between the sheets, that would definitely be a bonus.  
"So, can I ask why you wear the glasses?" Joel murmured as he blew the hot steamy wisps away from the surface of his coffee, startling Ray from his thoughts.

"Oh well, Y'know. I could easily adapt my eyes and have better sight, even superhero ability, but I like it better this way." He pushed the item in question further of the bridge of his nose with his forefinger fondly. Joel looked bewildered at this.  
"Why the fuck would you like bad vision better?" He narrowed his eyes and Ray smiled warmly.

"I dunno. It just makes me feel more... Human. Before I learned to control my powers better, I had needed glasses just like my dad. It was one of the features that made us look just alike; and even after I had the ability to fix myself, I didn't want to. It felt right and it makes me feel more like... Me." He finished lamely, a light blush touching his cheeks for the first time. He had no idea why he shared the pointless story to Joel, but it had just seemed important.

Judging by the look of confusion and warmth in the older man's dark eyes, it was.  
"That's.. Odd." He breathed out, mindlessly twirling a straw around in his light brown brew. Ray puffed out his cheeks. Maybe it was a little strange, but he didn't think Joel had a right to say that yet. He took in a deep breath, choosing instead to question the man.

"So why does a gorgeous man like yourself work for the stiffs?"

Joel stared out the window at a van parked on the curb. Ray eyed it suspiciously. "Family business." He muttered, and his tone was absolute.

"Alright. I know when to drop a subject. I'm curious though; what do you guys even do? Kidnap me for no reason?" Ray frowned. He never really bothered to think what the Cockbites were, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't wondering.

"I'm afraid that's classified, Mr. Narvaez." Joel seemed to have closed in on himself and Ray didn't like it,

"I'd like to get into your classifieds." Ray flirted, leaning closer and making Joel smirk.

"Mr. Narvaez, I'd like to remind you that this is a purely professional meeting." Joel scolded, but his tone didn't exactly shoo him away.

"Look me in the eye and say you really believe that." Ray fixed him with a heavy stare and Joel returned it, dark eyes on darker.

There were several moments of silence before Joel broke the eye contact, a faint blush on his cheeks. Ray smiled brightly. "Thought so. Since that's the case, how about we get to know one another better, hmm?"

"I will not answer anything too personal." Joel warned and Ray rolled his eyes.  
" I get it, you got that sexy mysterious thing going on. What I'd really like to know is how much you enjoy video games." Joel's head snapped up and it wore a lazy grin. "More than breathing."

The next hour was filled with laughter, deep conversations about games and movies, and, at least in Ray's opinion, a faint air of sexual tension. It was turning near evening, the sun creeping it's way down the horizon, when Joel's wrist comm gave a barely audible beep, signifying it was his time to leave.

"How about you come home with me, prettyboy?" Ray teased as they left the cafe.  
"Mr. Narvaez, I hardly believe that is appropriate." Joel wanted to hit himself as yet again he could feel his cheeks heating up.

"That's the idea." He winked, being met with a scowl. "Okay, okay. I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

"You're really giving me a lot of work for the little information I'm getting out of you." Joel sighed, running his hands through his already crazy hair.

"You act like this is hard." Ray fake-pouted.

"You act like you enjoy having me try to pick your brain." Ray moved his head closer and Joel tensed, expecting a strike of some sort. Ray only rested his lips close to Joel's ear, his hot breath tickling the older man's lobe.

"Who says I don't?" He whispered, and then he was gone, leaving a flustered and stiff Joel standing alone in the street. He let out a loud groan before making his way to the van that had never left. He crawled into the back as his wrist comm chirped out a happy tune.

"You're doing well. Subject 00012 is still suspicious, but he is gaining your trust. He believes you enjoy being around him." A voice crackled through, the boss's voice. Joel nodded before pressing the end button.

As the van jumped over a curb, Joel wondered if he was pretending anymore.

-

Ray rushed around a corner with a bag in his hands, breathing heavily. He reappeared, blood running from his nose. He wiped it away with one arm, wincing at his heavy migraine.  
He had went to steal a nice outfit (that May or may not have been to look good for Joel) when he had gotten stuck behind a group of people crowded around the exit, forcing him to strain to keep invisible. He had finally pushed several people out of the way, leaving them with shocked and confused expressions as he ran off.

"Fuck!" He yelped out, rubbing his head tenderly. When he got migraines from over-using his power, there was no way for him to make them go away, much to his annoyance.  
The outfit had been worth it, he thought as he slipped it on, patting the front down and observing himself in the mirror of his apartment.

Ray was donned in a white button up shirt with a black vest, complete with skinny jeans and his favorite pair of checkered shoes. Oh yeah.

He was looking hot.

It was weird to him, this while situation. While he would have no problem telling Joel everything about him, he knew he couldn't do that without telling all the other Cockbites.  
He had no clue what they would do with that information, nor how it would affect him or any other Adapters (he only assumed their were more, if there was an organization and name for them). He could single-handedly doom them if he wasn't careful, and the thought made him shudder. He brushed it off, choosing instead to focus on the other thing that was bothering him.

Ray liked to think about his problems, unlike others that pushed them away, and he had a major one in the shape of a suited figure called Joel.

The feeling in his stomach when he managed to make the Cockbite was... Unsettling at the least, perfect at best. It was dangerous, he knew, getting this close to someone so quickly. He busied himself with cleaning the kitchen counter as he thought.  
So what if he had feelings for Joel? What could happen?

Joel could not like him back, but if Ray was any good at reading people, he didn't see that as the case.

Joel could use him. They were on opposite sides, from what Ray could see, like a Romeo and Juliet thing...

Ray took a moment to entertain that fantasy before shaking his head to refocus.

Okay, what else? He continued to work through possibilities, each getting more ridiculous than the last, before noticing the time. It was 5:30 in the evening and Ray figured that was an acceptable time, checking to see if anyone was around before hopping out of his apartment window, falling the three stories to the ground before landing gracefully, smoothing down the edges of his vest.

Some people would see the action as unnecessary, but he never missed an opportunity to show off, even to himself.

After that it was only a few blocks to the construction site, long since abandoned, and to where Joel was waiting patiently.

"Hey Joel!" Ray piped up, taking a seat across from him at the same table. The only difference that instead of a glass of soda, there now sat a wooden mug of apple juice for him. He took an experimental sip before further relaxing.

"Hello Ray, it's nice to see you again." Joel's eyes darted down to look at Ray's outfit, and the Adapter grinned as he saw the dark eyes rest on the patch of exposed skin where Ray had purposefully left a button undone.

"Aww you missed me." Ray cooed, making Joel give him a familiar grimace.

"Anyways, I was wondering if we could talk about your childhood today." He seemed much more business-like today, and Ray wondered if he had gotten in trouble for being so casual the day before.

"I'm not sure when you became my therapist, but sure." Talking about his past certainly wouldn't jeopardize and Adapters, considering it wasn't all that special.

"Why don't you start from the beginning, and if I have any questions I'll stop you, okay?" Joel pulled out a clip board and Ray fidgeted.

"If you start treating me like a mental patient then sure." Ray narrowed his eyes and Joel blushed, throwing the clip board to the side.

"It was their idea; not mine." He admitted, relaxing his stance.

"Chill out." He flashed Joel a reassuring smile before shifting forward.

"Okay, let's see. Well, my parents were immigrants from Puerto Rico, but I was born in New York. I started realizing I had weird abilities when I was in second grade."

"And how did that happen?" Joel questioned, leaning closer.

Ray's smile turned bitter as he recalled.

"My dad got touchy when he was drunk.. In more ways than one." Ray chucked, but it sounded sad. The noise broke Joel's heart.

"Anyways, once I figured that out, I started using it against bullies. I made it stop hurting when they hit me. Then I started pushing myself with little things, like gills, fireproofing, stuff like that."

"So, you've had to build up your.. Powers? You didn't just have all of it immediately?" Ray shook his head at this.

"Nah man. Think of it as a muscle. You work it out to make it stronger. You can't just walk over and pick up a two hundred pound weight like it's nothing, right?" Joel was impressed with Ray's explanation.

"And what are the extent of your abilities to date?" He cocked an eyebrow and looked up to see Ray smirk.

"Ah now that is a secret, Joel." He accentuated the Cockbite's name and Joel sighed.  
"Fine. Is there anything else?" Ray's lips turned up more.

"About my childhood? Maybe. Tell you what, if you go to dinner with me tomorrow night, I'll tell you more."

"Okay but it's not a d-"

"Oh, and it's a date." Ray added and Joel's mouth fell open.

"I.. Um, but.." Ray winked at him and Joel groaned internally. He was probably going to regret this.

"..Deal."

"Lovely. Dress nice, okay? My treat." And the Ray was off, leaving Joel once again blushing furiously and feeling confused.

He left for the headquarters soon afterwards, planning to actually get some shooting in. He was the best shooter in his Sector and it calmed him quite a bit.

A large object hit him and he bounced back with a soft oof.

"Oops! Sorry Joel." A British voice spoke and Joel knew who it was before he looked up.

The new recruit had made quite an impression on everyone the past week and they had grown attached to him quickly. "Oh hey Gav. Why are you rushing off?" The golden-haired boy bounced up and down happily, as if standing still was a task.

"I have a date with Michael tonight and I want to get ready well before then." He giggled happily, his greenish eyes alight with excitement. "Well, see you around!" He dashed off around the corner and Joel chuckled, thinking to himself fondly.

"I have a date, too."


	3. Chapter 3

Bang.

"Son, I've never seen such a big disappointment. Can't you do anything right?"

Bang.

"A teacher? Why the fuck would you want to be a teacher? Shut the fuck up and keep training; you're GOING to join the APF."

Bang.

"Did you say you have a BOYfriend? That's it, I won't have a fag for a son. Get out. Get the fuck out right now."

Bang bang bang.

The dummy Joel had been firing into falls to the ground.

"Dammit." He mumbled to himself as he removed his equipment, tears pricking up in his eyes and stinging them.

"Hey, Joel!" Geoff trotted over, waving a hand to catch the man's attention. Joel grumbled to himself as he turned to face him, wiping his arm over his eyes quickly. "I heard you have a date with the monster tomorrow night."

"His name is Ray. And yeah, I'm being told to go on a date with him." Joel gritted his teeth. He liked Geoff, but he really didn't want to talk about it. Geoff nodded sympathetically, a look of concern in his blue eyes.

"We need to talk afterwards, okay? Come by my office after the date." Joel went to object but was waved off as Geoff rounded the corner, disappearing from view.

Joel was a little more than disgruntled as he finally made his way down to his facility room, a nice, spacious area with bedroom furniture, television, couch, a table, and even a small kitchen area along with another room that was his bathroom.

He yanked off his clothes roughly and let out a weary sigh as the steaming water of the shower touched his skin, relaxing his tight muscles. He had definitely needed this.

What was he going to do about Ray? He was enjoying their time together too much, allowing his glances to linger too long. The tests were still inconclusive, they needed more time. That meant more moments with Ray, at least, with his bright brown eyes and short hair with a slight hint of curl at the end.. And a button undone totally on purpose to show creamy skin... And that fucking look he gave Joel, like he wanted to devour him..

Joel bit at his lip as blood rushed down to his groin area, heat coiling in his stomach.

"God dammit." He growled, pressing his forehead against the cool tiles of the shower greatly contrasting the heat running down his spine. His hand strayed lower, tweaking a nipple and making him gasp as he trailed it down, squeezing his eyes shut.

He wrapped a firm hand around his now hard member, imagining Ray's smooth palm around it instead as he did one firm experimental jerk.

"F-fuck." He choked out, twisting his hand before running it back down the base, repeating the motion as he gained speed.

"Ray!" He held the wall with his other hand, clawing for purchase.

Joel could easily imagine Ray kissing down his body, making his way down at an agonizingly slow pace, teasing him with that cocky grin. He ran a thumb over the slit and shuddered, pressing his forehead so hard to the wall he could feel the tile digging in. He felt the familiar tightening in his muscles and sped up, panting heavily.

"Ray Ray Ray Ray!" He yelled out over and over, spurting his seed onto the tile. He shuddered and took a deep breath as his spunk washed down the drain.

"Fucking Hell." He murmured to himself.

He had it bad.

-

"Where are you even taking me?" Ray's hands were covering Joel's eyes as he led him around.

"Shut up, I'm trying to check out your ass." The reply was growled in his ear and he shuddered while rolling his eyes (not that Ray could see the action anyways).

"I felt that mister. Don't you roll your eyes at me." Joel smirked. Good, his sarcasm didn't go unnoticed. "And... Open!" Ray removed his hands with a flourish and Joel blinked a couple times before the scene in front of him came into sharp vision.

There was a little round table sitting in a clearing of the construction site, covered with a freshly white table cloth. Two chairs sat on either side of it, and a candle sat in the middle of two plates. He was touched Ray would go through so much trouble.

"So are you always so cheesy? Because it's gonna end up making me lactose intolerant." Joel teased and he heard Ray humph.

"Listen here, you. I worked hard on his so sit your sweet little ass down and get ready for a nice dinner. Joel did as he was told, secretly switching his wrist comm to mute. He played it off as bumping his arm on the table.

"So, how much of this was actually paid for?" Joel cocked an eyebrow and Ray blushed.

"How'd you know?" He asked, and it was Joel's turn to look cocky.

"The outfit you wore yesterday still had a small security tag on it. And you don't seem to have a job. It was just a matter of putting two and two together." Ray grinned.

"Thanks, Sherlock. You caught me, I didn't pay for any of this. However, I only stole raw ingredients. The meal you're about to eat was made by yours truly." He threw him another proud grin before ducking down to pull a large box from under the table. "I hope you like shrimp fettuccine. The sauce is an old recipe my mom taught me." He pulled a Tupperware container from the box and several utensils. "Let me just..." His hands began to steam as he spoke, heating up the food.

"Show off.." Joel muttered, and Ray winked at him, spooning a generous helping onto both their plates and tossing Joel a fork.

"I don't get to openly be myself around most people. It's fun." He forked a large bit of noodles and devoured them, Joel mimicking his actions, letting out a throaty groan.

"Holy shit this is good." His cheeks were puffed out like a chipmunk and Ray chuckled.

"I know."

"Oh shut up." Joel snickered, shoving another mouthful in. "So, do you wanna talk more about your childhood now?"

"Actually, I wanted to know about yours. This is a date after all, it's only fair I get to know you better." Joel grimaced, sitting up straighter. "Only what you're comfortable sharing, of course."

"I guess." Joel sighed out. "There's not much, really. My mom died in childbirth so I was raised by my dad. He was a strict guy, firmly believed in physical punishment. He was really important in the Organization, and he demanded that I join, too. I guess it's a good cause, so it's not the worst thing I could be doing. He pushed me to my limits, and then when I was twenty he kicked me out. It was too engrained in my brain to do my best by then, so I just kept working at APF, working my way up the ladder." He shrugged, hoping he didn't look as pained as he felt. Judging by Ray's look, he must have.

"What's the APF?" Ray questioned, stabbing a shrimp.

"Oh, that's the name of our Organization. I guess that's classified." He sighed, forehead creasing.

"Oh, hey! Are we being monitored?" He questioned, moving to stand up.

"No, they figured it'd be okay. We are all on our own. You're not planning to kill me, are you?" There was an actual hint of fear in his voice but Ray didn't notice.

"Only if you hadn't liked the food. But seriously, I wanna show you the new trick I've been working on." He stood still and took a deep breath, squeezing his eyes shut. Joel watched with wide eyes as the younger man's skin slowly began to turn what appeared to be solid silver, spreading from his fingertips inward until he was like a statue.

Joel dropped his fork, reaching over the run a hand down Ray's arm. Yep. It was definitely metal.

"That's amazing!" Joel exclaimed as the silver retreated, leaving patches of skin back in their normal places.

"Y-yeah." Ray smiled weakly, falling back into his chair and wiping at a bit of blood that had begun to trickle it's way out of his right nostril.

"Jesus is that healthy? You look like that hurt a lot." Joel extended a hand without thinking and Ray grinned, taking it. Joel tensed for a moment before allowing himself to relax.

"It's not too bad. Plus, it helps me get stronger, and that's cool. Soon, I'll be dominating the world." He teased, but Joel only frowned. "Anyways, I've gotten some pretty cool tricks in. I was thinking I could maybe like, volunteer at a children's hospital and do stupid shit with my face. Like that movie with Robin Williams, whatever it was." He squeezed Joel's hand and the latter smiled.

"Patch Adams, I think." Joel butted in and Ray nodded.

"Yeah, that. Check this out." He scrunched up his face again and his nose extended into a beak. Joel was strongly reminded of Tonks from Harry Potter and burst out laughing.

"I think you'd do fucking fantastic." He giggled before snorting as the beak transformed into a snout. They spent the next hour with Ray doing stupid things with various parts of his body, making Joel laugh so hard his stomach physically hurt; their hands never left one another's.

It started to get dark out and Joel shuddered slightly. "Okay, I should probably go." Joel spoke hesitantly, checking the time on his comm. he went to walk away but Ray yanked him back, pulling him in for a deep kiss. Joel froze, almost jumping back, before melting into it. The kiss was sloppy and needy but absolutely perfect. Their tongues mingled together, swirling around in the wet heat of their mouths. Joel fisted his fingers into Ray's hair, the latter resting his own hands on Joel's hips.

They nipped at one another's lips and Joel let out a muffled moan. Then he froze.

He pulled back, staring at Ray in confused disbelief, and then he was gone, leaving behind a shocked and worried Ray.

-

"Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!" Joel was muttering to himself as he paced down the hallway, licking his kiss-swollen lips. He had kissed the enemy. HE HAD KISSED THE ENEMY.

And he had liked it.

He stopped outside of Geoff's office, taking a deep breath to steady himself before stepping in, hoping he gave off his normal disgruntled air.

"Hey, Joel. How'd the date go?" Geoff's tone was unaccusing. Good, they didn't know.

"It was pretty okay. We didn't do much but eat." Okay, technically wasn't a lie, right? He plopped down into the seat he usually did.

"It's come to our attention that Subject 00012 has grown a close bond with you. While that is perfectly okay, we fear you may also be growing attached. I just wanted to remind you what these things actually are."

'Ray's not a thing.' Joel thought to himself before sighing internally. Yeah, he was becoming too attached.

"Do you remember the pictures of people torn to shreds, of massacres with hundreds of casualties, hidden from the public? Those were THEM. Hell, one of them even happened in New York a decade ago. Isn't that where your little friend lived?" Joel's blood ran like ice through his veins as he nodded slowly. "I'm only telling you this because I don't want you to be another casualty."

Joel nodded again, his mouth too dry to say anything back. His mind was racing, two sides battling one another.

He excused himself and hurried to his room, blinking away tears that were desperately trying to force their way out.

So now he had a choice. Did he believe his company, throw away any feelings for Ray and do his job, or did he confront Ray, try to get the truth? And then what? Did he trust him when he had been trained all his life to believe the Adapters as horrible monsters? He let out a loud groan, but his decision was made in a heartbeat.

-

Ray was flying high (not really, he didn't think he was prepared to spread wings). He hummed to himself as he buzzed around his apartment, straightening things up with a grin on his face.

That kiss had been like nothing he'd ever felt before, and it was like floating on air. He wanted to do it over and over; he was smitten.

What a way to end a perfect date.


	4. Chapter 4

It'd been a few days since Ray had seen Joel, and he was a bit nervous. He had been replaying the kiss in his mind over and over, and worry had set in as he thought about how Joel had run away.

After hours of careful deliberation, he decided to go see Joel, and that's how he found himself making his way to the construction site, humming under his breath. He had only waited five minutes (and thirty-two seconds, but who was counting? Certainly not Ray) when Joel revealed himself, a stiff smile plastered on his face.

"Come in." His voice sounded monotone and worried as he gestured towards their usual meeting area. The table and chairs were the same, but a metal cup sat in place of what had once been wooden, or maybe it had been glass. He couldn't remember. They must have cup problems at the Organization.

Ray took his seat and watched as Joel did too, but in a much jerkier matter. Ray noticed the Cockbite's hands were shaking and his brow furrowed.

"Joel, are you okay?"

Joel knew he was acting suspicious. He had tried to keep his cool, but this was a huge deal. He had taken a few days to prepare, and was thankful that Ray hadn't come to see him. Now he was ready.

"Ray.. I need to talk to y-"

"Ow! What the fuck?" Joel was interrupted and looked up in shock to see Ray glaring at the metal cup, holding his finger, which appeared to be burnt. "What the fuck is in that cup, boiling water?"

His angry expression quickly turned to panic as his eyes widened, bringing his finger to in front of him. "I.. I can't heal the wound! What is going on?" He looked up at Joel and his face broke the older man's heart, a mixture of pain, confusion, and, most of all, betrayal. Joel wanted to say that he was sorry, that he was going to tell him, to run away with him, but the doors suddenly broke open. An odd smell filled the room and his vision went hazy.

"R-ray..." He murmured, then the world went dark.

-

When Ray woke up, he was already screaming. He wasn't sure how long, but his voice was already hoarse and his lungs were on fire.

But that wasn't all that was on fire. His wrists and ankles burned, and he was certain the pain was going to kill him. He squirmed and fought, desperately trying to adapt his way out, but he was stuck.

"HELP! JOEL, SOMEBODY HELP ME!" He screamed louder, the fire in his limbs seeming to spread through his whole body, enveloping him in pure Hell.

"Hello, Mr. Narvaez." A calm voice spoke and Ray whipped his head around, his dark hair already drenched with sweat from the pain.

"Who's there?! Help me!" Ray flung his head back as another wave of fire seemed to wash over him.

"We will help you. But first, you need to help us." The man behind him came into view, and Ray looked him over through his veil of pain.

He was a slightly chubby man with curly hair and glasses, a scruffy beard making him seem more kind, but his cold, dark eyes told a different story.

"W-who are you?" Ray choked out, still thrashing madly against his chains.

"My name is Burnie. I run this little place, you see." For the first time, Ray took a look around his cell. The walls were bare and metallic, the floor concrete with a drain near him. A heavy-looking door was behind Burnie and Ray made a mental note of it.

"What do you want from me?" It came out harsh and raspy, and Ray was finding it hard to keep consciousness against the pain. The corners of his vision were fuzzy and dotted with black.

"I think that's fairly obvious." Burnie reached a hand to grab at something Ray couldn't see; he heard the scrape of metal against the floor as a small table similar to that of what holds doctor's materials was drug into view. He grabbed a syringe from it and Ray let out a groan.

"Of course. Using my blood or whatever to try and recreate my ability. Can't you be less cliche?" Burnie chuckled and the sound made Ray cringe. It was so humorless, so full of ill intent, it was insane how something like that could ever be related to the sound of laughter.

"It's cliche for a reason; it works. Of course we couldn't accomplish it before. We had no way to pierce the skin of an Adapter, or even capture one. Before you." He purred and Ray snarled in disgust.

"And it's a shame we'll have to kill your little boyfriend, hmm?" Burnie continued, twirling the syringe in his fingers absent-mindedly. Ray's half-lidded eyes snapped open at this and he fought against his restraints with a new fervor.

"Don't you FUCKING TOUCH HIM!" He screamed, tears streaming down his sweat-stained face. Burnie stepped closer, pleased with the reaction he drew.

"Oh I won't. Not me personally. But I can't say the same for Gus." He leaned closer, whispering sarcastically. "That's our torture expert, in case you were wondering." He winked and Ray could feel his blood burn as hot as the metal on his wrists.

He wanted to vomit.

He wanted to scream.

He wanted to cry.

But mostly, he just wanted to die.

He had decided to allow his body to do just that, resigning to falling back against the cold table he was strapped to, when a new pain erupted in his arm, seeming to start it's own spread of fire on top of what was already there. The needle being stuck inside of him moved closer to his vein, and Ray thought of every regret he had.

He thought of all the times he'd allowed himself to be captured for sport, all of the information he had shared with them through Joel. He thought of times before that, like the exact day he had stopped visiting his mother's grave on her birthday, or how he'd used his abilities to steal from innocent people.

This.. This moment would be his greatest regret. Dooming his race, his world even.

He sighed deeply and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block everything out. He heard a faint bang followed by clattering but couldn't bring himself to care, not until he heard a frantic yelling.

-

Joel's eyes fluttered open, and for a panicked moment he thought he may be blind. He shot up from where he lay, blinking rapidly.

No.

Not blind.

He was in a dark room. There were no windows, and the door had no opening (he assumed there was a door because he could see nothing). He felt around blindly to identify that he was sitting on a bed. A small table void of any items was beside it and a prison-style toilet sat in the opposite corner that he had the misfortune of dipping his hand in during his search.

Fuck.

He knew what this was; the fabled prison holding cells in the basement of the APF were real. They must have figured out his plan, it was the only explanation.

And what's worse? He knew they had found Ray's weakness. He felt his way to the door and pounded on it furiously, screaming out.

"Let. ME. OUT! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" He screeched, but he heard no sound of life on the other side. He punched the door angrily once again before falling back onto his bed, choking back a sob.

This was all his fault. He'd not only doomed Ray, but possibly even humanity. He let out a low moan and rubbed his sore knuckles, at a loss of what he could do.

Then, there was bright light. He blinked furiously once again, attempting to bring the figure standing in front of him into clearer focus.

"Get up, asshole." A lazy voice demanded, and Joel couldn't help the grin that spread across his face.

"Geoff!" He hopped up, new hope filling his body.

"Yeah, it's me. Listen, I don't have much time to explain, but I saw everything they did and re-went over the 'evidence' and.. something seems fishy. And when they locked you up, I knew something wasn't right. So here I am, your knight in shining fucking armor." Joel continued to stand there in stunned happiness and Geoff rolled his eyes. "Can we get the fuck out of here now before I change my mind?" He barked and Joel gave him a stiff nod before dashing out of the cell into a well-lit hallway, his feet skidding across the floor, with Geoff following close behind.

"So, you got a plan Loverboy?" Geoff called out and Joel nodded, taking a sharp left towards the housing area. He had several weapons stashed in his room for his preparation and he was certain they'd still be there. He frantically rushed through the door to find his secret compartment. His fingers mashed in the code messily and he tossed a weapon towards Geoff before grabbing his own.

"Where is he?" He asked, not waiting for an answer as he took off once again.

"Sector 8K." Geoff answered before a siren sounded. This was it, they knew he had escaped. "No turning back now." Geoff voiced Joel's very thoughts as they continued to run as quickly as they could. Two agents rounded the corner blocking their path, guns held at the ready. Geoff shot both in the shoulder without hesitation, and Joel looked at him in shock.

"Hey, this is a kill or be killed situation." Geoff shrugged and Joel nodded again, though a cold chill ran through his body. A small part of his brain hoped that Gavin wasn't working. He didn't want the young recruit to get hurt.

They were descending.

Sector 8K was deep in the bowels of the Organization, unheard of by people below Level 4 Clearance, and even then, Level 5 employees were uncertain of whether it was only a fable told to frighten the new recruits.

As Joel pushed open the heavy door and stared down a long, darkened corridor, his doubts were washed away.

The air was colder, staler, and held a feeling of disuse and neglect. Mostly, it reminded Joel of decay.

He had no time to think, only to run. Run and keep running, that's all that went through his mind. His heart pounded through his very soul and every fiber of his being was on fire, alight with fear and urgency, but he continued to run.

"Joel! This is it!" Geoff pulled the older man back to face another strong-looking door and he took a deep breath before giving one last nod.

-

"Ray! RAY! Wake up, Ray!" Ray opened his eyes slowly to see Joel's face, stunning and lovely as he remembered it. It looked concerned and panicked for some reason and that bothered Ray. That's not how it was supposed to look, that's never how it should look.

"Am I in Heaven?" He mumbled. He never thought he had been a particularly bad person, but he was never really all that great either. He blinked again and fiery pain came rushing at him like a train. No.

There wasn't pain like this in Heaven.

He was in Hell.

"Is this some stupid pickup line because we don't have time for this!" Another man with dark mussed hair and a scruffy face popped into view, handing over a small shiny object to Joel who began to move frantically.

Okay he didn't know the other guy, so he likely wasn't in Hell. Not his personal Hell, anyways. He was still alive, he deduced. He heard a soft pop and one of his wrists was freed. He rolled it around, clenching his fist.

Things were coming more into focus and a small smile spread across his face. "You came for me. My knight in shining armor."

The stranger snorted and Joel shot him a glare before freeing the other wrist. Ray sat up on his elbows, his head spinning. "Ow." He whimpered and Joel gave him a concerned look before a loud bang sounded behind them and a small group of men appeared at the door. A string of curses left the stranger and then there was gunfire from both sides.

"I can help!" Ray yelped as another ankle popped free. He tried to focus and a sharp pang ran through his brain. He let out a low moan and fell backwards onto the table, his final trapped appendage being freed. Joel wrapped Ray's arm around his shoulder and hiked him up, dragging him towards the door. He felt weak, so very weak, and his vision faded in and out.

"Hang on Ray, just hang on." Joel repeated over and over, and Ray could have swore he got a quick glimpse of Burnie face-down in a puddle of blood. He chuckled to himself, equally pleased as he was repulsed by the sight; he had never seen a dead body before, and he had a feeling it would not be his last.

He saw the stranger pick up a full syringe and stuff it in his jacket. "You coming, Geoff?" Joel called and the stranger nodded, jogging up to meet them and still firing at the final man left standing.

They passed through a long, dark hallway and Ray felt the burning sensation slowly fading from his body as his strength returned. By the time they were up another two floors, Ray was jogging on his own with only minor support from Joel occasionally.

They were so close, only a floor away from the main area when they were surrounded.

Joel and Geoff were firing away madly, ducking under objects and panting heavily with their effort.

Ray stood up in between them, ignoring Joel's frantic calls, and closed his eyes shut, focusing with all his might. Now was the time to be a hero.

-

"Get down you fucking idiot!" Joel screamed, yanking on Ray's leg, but he didn't budge. His face was scrunched up in concentration, and Joel watched in awe as a faint glow seemed to radiate from his skin.

Then, all at once, there was silence.

Deafening silence.

The world seemed to go in slow motion as light erupted from every orifice of Ray, bursting forward and going through the men surrounding them, who dropped immediately, falling to the floor with soft thuds.

And the light was gone, and left in it's wake was Ray, who seemed to be wilting. Joel jumped up and caught the small, now-fragile man in his arms. Blood trickled from his nose, his eyes, his ears, even his mouth and Joel felt a familiar fear bubbling up inside of him.

"R-ray?" He whispered, slapping the Adapter on his face gently. Ray's head lolled limply to the side and tears stung at Joel's eyes. He shook him hard, but there was still no result.

"Holy SHIT THAT WAS FUCKING AWESOME!" Geoff popped up from his hiding place, a wide grin across his face that quickly faded as he turned to the other men. "...Oh." He muttered under his breath, moving to quietly collect some ammo from the corpses.

"We need to go." Joel's voice was shaky, and he still held Ray in his arms, the younger man's limbs hanging at his sides.

"Um.. do you...?" Geoff was silenced with a look and he sighed before making his way up the final staircase. Joel followed, carrying Ray in his arms.

He wouldn't let go.

He couldn't let go.

They weren't met with any more resistance and easily left the building. Of course, that was thanks to Ray, Joel thought bitterly.

Joel laid Ray down in the grass carefully before turning to Geoff.

"T-thank you." He choked out and Geoff gave him a sympathetic smile.

"Look, I got this out." Geoff pulled out a syringe that appeared to be filled with blood. He grasped it firmly before smashing it onto the ground, stomping it into the dirt with his foot. "I think the world will be a lot better off this way."

"Where will you go now?" Joel knew that they were very likely still far from safe.

Geoff shrugged. "Where will you?" He smirked. Joel wasn't sure. All of his purpose for fighting was laying in the grass, cold and lifeless. And that's exactly how Joel felt.

There was the smallest of coughs from behind and the men whipped around.

"J-joel?"

-

Ray was surrounded by blinding light. He tried to reach out his arms but he couldn't move. Actually, he wasn't even sure he had arms, or a body at all.

He felt peaceful, really. But something was bugging him.

He wasn't sure what exactly, but he felt remorse for something. He vaguely wondered what, but he knew there were more pressing matters at the time.

Or maybe there weren't.

Where was he again?

WHO was he?

He tried to yell out but he had no mouth. Did he not have a body?

Where was he again?

Something was bugging him. Something wasn't right. He felt sadness not only for him, but for someone else.

Wait, what was he feeling?

Wasn't there something important he was supposed to be doing? He tried to step forward but he had no legs.

Oh god, he had no body. When had that happened?

Where was he again?

The light was blinding him, but it didn't hurt. Nothing hurt, actually.

Then..

He remembered.

And the light dissolved to form the world around him.

"J-joel?"

-

"Ray? Ray are you okay?" Joel rushed over to him, a watery smile overtaking him as he cradled the younger man's head in his lap.

"Ow." Ray groaned and Joel chuckled, shaking his head slowly.

Geoff walked away but neither of the men noticed. Geoff was free to do whatever he pleased now; a scary concept.

"Hey there, sexy. Do you come here often?" Ray rasped out and Joel scowled.

"Mr. Narvaez, that is hardly professional." He grimaced, but the corners of his mouth twitched up.

"Yeah, well, neither is this." Ray pulled Joel down by his tie, placing a light kiss on his chapped lips. Joel leaned in further, tears flowing freely from his eyes; he didn't care. Ray was okay.

They were okay.

"So what now?" Ray whispered, their lips still close to one another, brushing up against each other carelessly.

"I have no fucking clue." Joel retorted, running a hand through his messy dark hair.

"Sounds good to me."


End file.
